Shake-out rack



. c. COLLINS SHAKE-OUT RACK Dec. 31, 1940.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 10, 1940 Gal/10am 00mm Dec. 31, 1940. c, co s 2,226,659

SHAKE-OUT RACK Filed Feb. 10, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \l m oi 3mm Calhoun Go/ h'ns j I y abbmm Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHAKE-OUT RACK Bakersfield, Calif.

Application February 10, 1940, Serial No. 318,357

5 Claims.

The invention relates to a so-called shake-out rack for use between the conventional shake-out table and a flat-work ironer. Heretofore, in handling flat-work between the usual shake-out table and the ironer, it has been customary to provide an in-between table, a system of boards, or level wooden or metal horses with poles. The shakeout worker shakes the fiat pieces, folds them over the poles or boards or lays them in a bundle on the in-between table, poles or boards. Then, the ironer feeder takes them from the table, poles or boards and straightens them out upon the ironer feed pole. In some cases, the feeder picks up an empty pole from the ironer and replaces it with a loaded pole from the horses or the like, requiring that the shaker then retrieve the empty pole for reloading. All of these operations are troublesome and require too much waste time.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a new and improved shake-out rack for use between the shake-out table and the ironer, said rack having provision for supporting the ironer feed poles one at a time while they are being loaded, tracks, down which the loaded poles are slid into such convenient positions that they may be readily lifted from the rack and engaged with the usual pole-holding brackets of the ironer, and additional tracks down which empty poles taken from the ironer are slid to positions in which they are readily accessible for the shake-out worker, for reloading.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a perspective view illustrating the association of the improved shake-out rack with the ironer and showing a number of loaded and empty poles upon the rack.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the rack with all poles removed.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one end of one of the poles.

A construction has been illustrated which has proven advantageous from all standpoints, and while that construction will be rather specifically explained, it is to bev understood that within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made. I r

A base frame 5 is provided to rest upon a floor in front of a conventional flat-work ironer B, between said ironer and the usual shake-out table (not shown). The base frame 5 is of rectangular form and the side and end bars 1 and 8 of said frame are preferably constructed from angle iron bars welded or otherwise secured together. Four corner posts rise rigidly from the four comers of the frame 5, the corner posts 9 for disposition toward the ironer 6 being of less height than the posts 9' at the shake-out table side of the rack. The posts are suitably secured to the base frame by welding, riveting or the like, and I have shown appropriate braces H! for said posts. These braces may well be formed of strap iron and the posts from angle iron.

Two lower tracks II which may well be formed from angle iron, are secured at their ends to the upper ends of the corner posts 9 and 9', said tracks being declined toward said posts 9 but having substantially horizontal portions I2 and I3 at their upper and lower ends respectively. The poles P are placed one at a time upon the upper track portions l2 while they are being loaded, as will be clear from Fig. l, and the loaded poles are slid down the tracks ll onto the portions l3 which check their movement. To aid in positioning the poles to be loaded, stops I4 are provided at the outer ends of the track portions l2, and to stop the poles as they are slid down the tracks, other pole stops l5 are associated with the track portions l3.

Two upper tracks iii are provided above the tracks I I, down which to slide the empty poles P as they are taken from the ironer 6, the lower ends of said tracks l6 being provided with'appropriate pole stops IT. The upper ends of these tracks may, if desired, be turned upwardly as indicated at l8 to assist in placing the poles upon the tracks in predetermined position in readiness for-sliding down said tracks. Suitable brackets l9'have been shown secured to the tracks II and carrying the upper tracks l6, said brackets, in the present disclosure, extending first downwardly from said tracks II, then outwardly, then upwardly, then inwardly over said tracks II, and finally upwardly to said upper tracks l6. Thus, the brackets l9 clear the poles P when said poles are being slid down said tracks I I.

Each pole P is provided at its ends with metal shoes 20 to slidably rest upon the tracks H or [6, and handles 2| are provided projecting outwardly from said shoes. The shoes 20 are sumciently high with regard to the longitudinal axis of the pole P by which they are carried to prevent this pole from tilting as it is being slid down the tracks II or 16. The handles 2| are instrumental primarily when removing the loaded poles from the rack and engaging them with the machine 6, and when taking empty poles from the machine and placing them upon the upper tracks l6.

It will be seen from the above that a rather =simple, yet very convenient and desirable construction has been provided. The employees quickly learn to use the rack to advantage both to themselves and their employer, Much time and labor can be saved and the operators are less tired at the end of a day. The shake-out operator easily reaches an empty pole from the upper tracks I6, places it on the rest portions I2 of the lower tracks H, shakes out the flat-work and lays it across the pole, and then pushes the loaded pole easily clown said tracks I I within convenient reach of the ironer operators. The shake-out operator then takes another empty pole from the upper tracks l6 and repeats the operations just described. Two ironer operators each take one end of an empty pole with one hand and lay it on the upper tracks IS, with the other hand grab the loaded pole, and easily place this loaded pole in the ironer brackets. This interchange of poles requires only from three to four seconds and the fiat-work is ready to run through the ironer without any unrolling or smoothing, and there is ample space between the rack and the ironer to permit the ironer feeders to conveniently stand between the two while taking the work from the pole supported by the usual ironer brackets and feeding said work into the machine. The rack permits the use of several poles instead of piling the work on a table, boards, or too few poles. The shakeout operator places just enough work on the poles for easy handling and there are of course enough poles to keep the ironer operators busy. With this rack, it is much easier to avoid mixing different customers orders than with the old ways of piling the clothes together.

While excellent results may be obtained from the construction shown and described, attention is again invited to the possibility of making variations within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In combination with the inlet end of a fiatwork ironer having brackets to hold a loaded ironer feed pole while the ironer feeders feed the work from the pole to the ironer; a shake-out rack permanently spaced in its entirety from said inlet end of the ironer to allow the ironer feeders to conveniently walk between rack and ironer, the portion of said rack remote from the ironer being provided with rests for supporting the ironer feed poles one at a time while they are being loaded, lower tracks declining from said rests toward the ironer for guiding the loaded poles from said rests to positions in which they are readily accessible to the ironer feeders, and upper tracks declined in the opposite direction for guiding empty poles taken from the ironer brackets back toward said rests.

2. A shake-out rack comprising a frame for disposition in front of a flat-work ironer, said frame having one elevated pair of spaced tracks declined in one direction down which to slide loaded ironer feed poles to the ironer, said frame also having a second and higher pair of spaced. tracks declined in the opposite direction down which to slide empty poles taken'from the ironer, said frame being provided with pole stops at the lower ends ofall of said tracks, the declined tracks of said one pair being provided with substantially horizontal upper ends upon which to rest the poles while loading the same, said declined tracks of said one pair being also provided with substantially horizontal lower ends which check the descent of the loaded poles.

3. A shake-out rack comprising a frame for disposition in front of a fiat-work ironer, said frame having one elevated pair of spaced tracks declined in one direction down which to slide loaded ironer feed poles to the ironer, said frame also having a second and higher pair of spaced tracks declined in the opposite direction down which to slide empty poles taken from the ironer, said frame being provided with pole stops at the lower'ends of all of said tracks, said frame being provided also with brackets secured to the declined tracks of said one pair and carrying the declined tracks of said second and higher pair, said brackets having portions extending outwardly from said declined tracks of said one pair, then upwardly and then inwardly toward said tracks of said second and higher pair to clear the loaded poles slid down said tracks of said one pair.

4. A shake-out rack comprising a frame for disposition in front of a fiat-work ironer, said frame having one elevated pair of spaced tracks declined in one direction down which to slide loaded ironer feed poles to the ironer, said frame also having a second and higher pair of spaced tracks declined in the opposite direction down which to slide empty poles taken from the ironer, said frame being provided with pole stops at the lower ends of all of said tracks, said frame being provided also with brackets secured to the d clined tracks of saidone pair and carrying the declined tracks of said second and higher pair, said brackets extending first downwardly from said tracks of said one pair, then outwardly, then upwardly, then inwardly, and finally upwardly to said tracks of said second and higher pair to clear the poles slid down said tracks of said one pair.

5. A shake-out rack comprising a rectangular base frame for disposition in front of a flat-work ironer, four corner posts rising rigidly from the corners of said base frame, two lower tracksdisposed over the ends of said base frame and secured to the upper ends of said corner posts, said lower tracks being declined in one direction to permit sliding of loaded ironer feed poles down said tracks to the ironer and having pole stops at their lower ends, said lower declined tracks being provided with substantially horizontal upper ends to support the poles while loading the same, said lower declined tracks being provided also with substantially horizontal upper ends which check the descent of the loaded poles, brackets secured to said lower declined tracks and having portions extending outwardly therefrom, then upwardly and then inwardly over said lower declined tracks to clear the poles slid down these tracks, and two upper tracks over said lower declined tracks and secured to the upper ends of said brackets, said upper tracks being declined in the opposite direction from said lower declined tracks to permit the empty poles to be slid away from the ironer on said upper declined tracks, the lower ends .of said upper declined tracks being provided with pole stops.

CALHOUN COLLINS.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,226; 659. December 51, 1914.0.

' CALHOUN COLLINS.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: In the grant, line 15, name of assignee, for "Theodore H. Ryers" read -Theodore M. Ryerson--, as shovs vnby the record of assignments in this ffice; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the rec- 0rd of the case in the Patent Office. 7

Signed and sealed this 11th day of February, A. D. 191 1.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

